The Black Night of the Blackfish
by targaryenemperor
Summary: We know the Blackfish, Brynden Tully, never married. But what really happened? I decided to glimpse in the past during the night Lady Minisa Whent, his good-sister, died during birth, her child alongside her. How would the Blackfish feel about it? This is a one-shot story having Brynden Tully as a POV character. Rated T for mature language and a death scene. I do not own ASoIaF! :)


"Uncle, Edmure pulled my hair!"

The four years old boy, with auburn hair and blue eyes laughed while his older sister started to rave in their uncle's room. Brynden Tully, the Blackfish, however was lost in thought, looking at the Red Fork from the window of his room. The morning was cold, strangely cold for the Riverlands. The Blackfish saw this as a premonition, as something bad was about to happen. He travelled a lot that year: north, south, even to the Free Cities, but whenever his good-sister, Minisa, was about to give birth, he would always return to Riverrun to be at his brother's side. Lord Hoster, five years the Blackfish's senior, barely tolerated his presence in his home but as Brynden shared his blood as a trueborn Tully and considering the fact that Lord Hoster's children lionized the Blackfish, he could not deny him sanctuary in his castle. Even since Brynden refused to marry that Redwyne girl, their relationship wasn't the same, with Hoster refusing to address his brother by name again, instead referring to him as "that traitor" or "that malcontent fool". Brynden however preferred his moniker, the Blackfish. For many people in Westeros, the name Brynden Tully didn't mean much, but the Blackfish was more than a man, he was a legend. Every boy in the Seven Kingdoms knew about his exploits as a warrior and many of them dreamed of meeting him one day. A veteran of more than fifty battles, the Blackfish is a god among his men and a demon for his enemies. Why he didn't marry, only he knew. Nobody dared to ask, well, except his brother's children, always the indiscreet little runts that the Blackfish loves more than anything in his life. But he would never answer them.

"Uncle!"

Lysa's scream awoken Brynden from his daydream.

"What? What happened?"

"Edmure! He pulled my hair!"

Brynden sighed. Every morning, it was the same. Edmure would do something to annoy his sisters and they would start to complain to their uncle.

"Edmure, come here, nephew."

The little boy came to the Blackfish and hugged him.

"Edmure, I called you here not for a hug but to ask you something. Why did you pull your sister's hair?"

"Because she's a fool!"

"Uncle! He called me a fool!"

"Ugh… Why is your sister a fool, Edmure?"

"Because she is!"

"UNCLE!"

Brynden then realized that Edmure only sought to draw Lysa's ire. Four years old and already so impetuous. But then again, he was his beloved nephew, the only one he had, as his other two died in their cradle. He suffered a lot when those boys died. Brynden loved his brother's children like they were his own and he would forgive them anything.

"Lysa, come here, sweetling!"

The older girl came to Brynden, with tears in her blue eyes. He then caressed her cheek:

"Listen, Lysa, you know your brother is just japing. He is just like Green Bear, a big fool. You see? He is the fool, not you!"

Lysa started to laugh at her brother who now was the pouty one. Green Bear was the fool of Riverrun, a huge, simple man, who liked to wear a green doublet. Brynden saved him from a village put to the torch by the Bad Apple, Derrick Fossoway, during the War of the Ninepenny Kings and, as Bear didn't remember his true name, he was called Green Bear, due to his clothes and size.

"Green Bear, Green Bear!"

"Uncle!"

"Now you are calling me? You see now how it is to be insulted. I will revoke your status as the Green Bear if you promise me to never again pull Lysa's hair!"

"Revoke? What is revoke?"

"Well, I dubbed you Green Bear, now if you promise me to never hurt Lysa again, I will turn you back into Edmure."

"Fine, fine! Please, make me Edmure again."

"Now, you are Edmure Tully again."

Lysa sighed:

"Pfft, he should remain a Green Bear."

"Now, now, enough with this argument. You are siblings, brothers and sisters. Do you know our family's saying?"

Catelyn, the oldest of the children approached his uncle and siblings. Even though she was just nine years old, she was already shaping to become a great beauty, with long auburn hair, due to her Tully blood, fair skin and long fingers. Brynden was extremely proud of her, as she was kind, diligent and intelligent.

"Family, Duty, Honor!"

"Very well. You see? Catelyn paid close attention to her lessons."

"But she is older!"

"Well, yes, but that's not the point. The point is the fact that family is all we have. Look at me and your father. We argue a lot, that's true, but in the end, he is my brother, my family. No matter how much we fight, what kind of words we throw at each other, we are brothers, and I love him just as much as I love you, his children. When we were children and our father, Lord Erik Tully, went to wars and battles, Hoster took care of me. Back then, we never fought."

The three children ended their argument and paid close attention to their uncle. The Blackfish then started to tell them a story about a knight who saved his brother from the jaws of a ferocious lion, even though they argued a lot. The story was made up, of course, but it proved to be an efficient learning tool for the young children who then hugged, putting their anger aside. Soon after, a young guard knocked on the Blackfish's door:

"Yes?"

"Excuse me, Ser Blackfish, but Lord Hoster requires your presence in the solar."

It was strange, as Hoster never wishes to speak with him outside of their arguments. Probably he found another match for Brynden. He wondered who that might be? Maybe a tall Hightower lady or a Florent with big ears or even a Baratheon with black hair and fierce wills. Either way, he would say no, as usual.

"Thank you, Tommard. Please, stay with the children until I return."

"Yes, Ser Blackfish."

Even the guards of the castle address him as the Blackfish. Even though Hoster Tully commanded his brother to dispose of the nickname, Brynden refused to do so. It was part of him now. The Blackfish is his alter-ego, a loyal and driven warrior. He could say that the Blackfish is the best part of himself. Either way, Brynden went straight for the solar where Hoster awaited him.

"You wished to see me, brother?"

"Sit. What took you so long?"

"Well, Edmure and Lysa fought again and I had to calm them down."

"It's your fault that those children are behaving the way they do. You and your doting. Probably you want to teach the girls to never listen to their brother and future lord, aren't you? Just like you are doing for years!"

"If this is what you wanted to speak with me, I will leave. I have better things to do than arguing with you. You know, we said so much to each other over the years that I believe we might have ran out of things to insult each other with."

"Stay here, I didn't call you here to argue with you. I asked you to come here to talk to you about something serious."

Brynden saw the worrying look on his brother's face. It must be something serious.

"Tell me."

"Minisa… she will give birth soon. Even tonight, according to Maester Kym. If she enters labor, I want you to take the children away on a boat ride or something. Take Petyr too. An evening boat ride, that would be good for them, yes! Far better than staying here in the castle, hearing screams."

"But, I want to stay here, with you and her."

"Always the disobedient, aren't you? What are you supposed to do, give birth yourself instead of her? You have your orders, and I want you to carry them out."

"As you wish. Before I leave, I want to say something to you. I am very glad that a new son or daughter will be born to you. Congratulations, from the bottom of my heart."

"Thank you. I am very happy. I feel something that you could feel too, if you are going to marry a noble lady and have a son or a daughter of your body yourself."

"Again with this? I am quite content with my position as a world-renowned bachelor. Women from all across the Seven Kingdoms gasp at the thought of me touching them. They dream of my fingers caressing their skin, they dream of my cock entering them, filling the holes in their hearts. I'm making them wet just by looking at them! And the painful thing is, they know they can't have me."

"I don't want to hear any more of your filthy thoughts. Out! Go and be a glorified wet nurse, your greatest dream. Leave!"

Brynden smiled and then bowed before his brother. Then, he left the solar. He was content. He found something that he could anger Hoster with it: bawdy lines.

 _I am sorry, brother. I can't marry anyone. Not now, not ever._

Brynden returned to his room where his nieces and nephew were playing.

"Children, I have a surprise for you."

"What? What?"

"If you are good with each other as we spoke before, I will take you fishing tonight."

The three young Tully started to cheer and then all of them hugged Brynden. The Blackfish returned the hug.

"Tommard, can you stay with the children a while longer? I need to go and wake Petyr up."

Lysa's eyes started to shine:

"I'll come with you, Uncle!"

"If you wish."

The Blackfish and Lysa Tully arrived in the room of Hoster's ward, Petyr Baelish. The only son of Lord Edric Baelish of Baelish Keep, he was a very smart boy, thoughtful and very ambitious. Even though he was very tiny for his age, what he lacked in physical prowess he more than make up in intelligence. Lysa wanted to wake him up but Brynden had a better idea. He started to tickle the boy:

"Ha aha, aha!"

"Wake up, sleepyhead. I know it's cold outside but that is not an excuse to sleep a lot. You know what they are saying, those who sleep in the morning will be the ones who weep in the evening. Now, get dressed because I have a surprise for you."

"What surprise, Uncle?"

Even though he wasn't related by blood with Brynden, Petyr called him uncle, mirroring the Tully children. He loved the Blackfish very much and enjoyed his stories and his advices.

"We will go fishing tonight!"

A huge grin formed on Petyr's face.

"But only if Edmure and Lysa behave themselves. Otherwise, they will stay here in the castle and I will feed them mud pies."

"Blah! Don't worry, Uncle, I will take care of them. I will make sure they will be good."

"I'm sure you will. Now, Lysa, let's leave Petyr for now. He needs to change his clothes. After you eat, come to my room for the history lesson."

"Of course."

While the maester taught the children, even little Edmure, every other subject, Hoster insisted that the Blackfish will be the one to teach them history, as a man who lived through many of the Seven Kingdom's most important events. _You know history, I'll give you that! At least, you can do something useful with your life, for a change!_ Those were his brother's words, the closest thing for a praise he said to him in years.

The history lesson came and went away very quickly. Petyr proved himself to be a fast learner, with a good memory and many questions. The Blackfish liked him very much, loving him almost as much as he loved his nieces and nephew. After the lesson, Brynden left the children to play with Petyr and he went straight for the largest room in the castle, other than the great hall: Lady Minisa's room. He knocked on the door and a tiny, almost extinguished voice answered him:

"Yes?"

"It's Blackfish."

"Come in, Brynden."

Minisa was the only one in the castle who referred to him as Brynden, rather than the Blackfish. She was a kind and generous soul who had three great wishes in her life: to see her children grow strong and happy, to have many grandchildren and to make peace between Hoster and Brynden. The Blackfish entered the room slowly and looked towards the bed: there she was, thin, with a large abdomen due to the child inside, with a beautiful hair the color of sand and with soft hands and a warm smile. Brynden cared very much about her, as she never judged him. She never told him: "Get out of my room, Blackfish." or criticize him behind his back.

"It's so good to see you, Brynden. When did you arrive?"

"A few days ago. I heard you were ill. What happened?"

"Ah, you know… the child. I am tired, that's all. He is quite the kicker, you know?"

"He?"

"A mother senses those kinds of things. I know he is a boy. He would become a strong warrior; I can feel it. I will name it Brynden, after you."

The Blackfish almost cried, his eyes watering quickly but he didn't allow Minisa to see him like this.

"Well, I don't know if my brother will allow it. He wouldn't want his son to bear my shame."

"Don't worry, I'll talk him into it. Brynden is a beautiful name. My grandfather was named Brynden, so I would say to him that I want to name my son after him. It's not like I would name him Blackfish or something. But you know he is your namesake. It would be our little secret, after all. And about your shame… it's nothing to be ashamed of, really. Many men remain unmarried and they are as happy as they can, like that."

"Tell that to my brother. As for naming your son after me…well, I would be honored! You know, I came here to see you. I heard that you could be giving birth this evening."

"Yes… Maesters and their calculations."

She then started to cry. Brynden approached the bed and put his hand on her shoulder:

"What happened? Are you in pain?"

"No, I just want to make him happy. To give him another son. A living, healthy son. I don't want to see another child of mine dying. I just… can't bear it!"

"Hey, it's alright. Don't be sad. Sadness doesn't do well to the child. Do you want me to tell you a joke?"

"I know your jokes… they are very bad. Just like that one with the Lannister who defecates gold and the Targaryen who defecates fire."

"Hey, that was a good joke."

"Heh… you already made me feel better. Brynden…"

"Yes?"

"Can you bring me the children, please?"

"Of course. Wait here!"

"Ha, ha… very funny!"

Brynden ordered a guard outside to bring the children to their mother. Soon after, all three of them were brought to Minisa's chamber. She started to cry, seeing her son and daughters.

"What is wrong, mama? Are you in pain?"

Catelyn, as the oldest of the children, was also more responsible and empathic. She immediately knew that something was wrong with Lady Tully.

"No, my sweet. I'm just… tired, that's all. Soon, I will give you another brother, and that's why I need to rest a lot in bed."

Edmure smiled while Lysa frowned:

"Why a brother, maybe is a sister?"

"Maybe…"

The children spent a bit of time with their mother who was quite emotional and almost cried several times. The Blackfish knew something was wrong with her. The way she was speaking with them, the way she looked at them, like she would never see them again! The child which is supposed to be born would be the sixth, and each of Lady Minisa's pregnancies were very difficult. That's the bane of the Whent women: many of them are infertile and whenever one of them proved to be fertile, the resulting children were usually weak and would die almost immediately after birth. Lady Minisa was lucky to be able to have three healthy children. Brynden remembered how his mother, Delora Blackwood, didn't want Hoster to marry Minisa but their father, Lord Erik, insisted to have them married as he would become kin with the House that was in control of Harrenhal. Always the politician his lord father. Erik Tully was the thirdborn son of Lord Elrood Tully and Lady Calla Darry. Initially he had no chance of inheriting something but after his two older brothers died within one year of each other, Erik became his father's heir and after Lord Elrood died after a bout of fever, he became the new Lord Paramount of the Trident and of course, the new Lord of Riverrun. Since then, he always sought to increase the power of his House by seeking alliances with powerful families from the Riverlands and not only, a practice his brother Hoster would continue after he became Lord. Erik Tully proposed to marry his heir Hoster with Lord Whent's daughter and they were betrothed, even though she was nine years younger than him. Eventually, they married. The Blackfish remembered that day, when Hoster cloaked his bride before the Seven, like it was yesterday. He was so happy for his brother but yet… he couldn't help but feel that something has died inside of him.

After Catelyn, Lysa and Edmure left Minisa's chamber, the Blackfish approached his good-sister's bed:

"Tell me now, dear sister, how do you really feel?"

"I feel fine… I just want to rest for a bit."

"Of course, I will leave you. Your husband wants me to take your children and Petyr to a fishing trip if you give birth tonight."

"It's a good idea… Have fun!"

How could he have fun while she suffers? Of course, in front of the three, he had to put on a false face. He would laugh, smile, tell them stories but his mind and heart would be there, with her.

The next few hours came and went as the girls and Edmure were having their afternoon nap. Petyr and the Blackfish studied a book about the houses of the Riverlands.

"My mother was a Blackwood. My grandmother a Darry. And if I recall correctly, my great-grandmother was a Bracken."

"No, actually your grandfather's mother was a Staunton from the Crownlands."

"By the gods, you are right. You know my family better than I do."

"Well, actually, I read Maester Theon's _The History of the Trout_. He always adds to it whenever a Tully is born. You appear there too: _Ser Brynden Tully, known as the Blackfish_."

"Well, I'll be damned. Seems to me those maesters have nothing else to do than write books about the dead and the old."

"Actually, it's quite good they do this. For example, if a lord without an heir, his lands should be given to the House closest to that lord by ties of blood. Due to the intermingling between houses, is hard to track down the connections without books."

Brynden was impressed by his brother's young ward. A young child but so well cultured and quite wise for his age. He always liked to read and learn complicated words.

"When I was your age, I was more interested in fighting than learning. My father threatened me that he would send me to the Citadel when I was little so I preferred to become a warrior. That way, he would keep me at Riverrun."

"I see. But learning is important too. I like to read."

"That's very good. We had maesters in the family too. My grandfather's brother, Hendon Tully, was an Archmaester of the Citadel."

"Actually, Archmaester Hendon was your great-grandfather's brother. Lord Kermit Tully had three younger brothers, Ser Rickard, who died in Pentos, Ser Axel who married a daughter of Lord Arryn and had three sons and two daughters with her and Archmaester Hendon."

"I'll be… Well, enough with my family tree. You make me feel stupid… To think that our motto is _Family, Duty, Honor_ … Not knowing things about my family… That's humiliating, to say the least! At least I learned that Ser Axel liked to… conceive children a lot!"

Both Petyr and the Blackfish laughed. After a few minutes, however, a guard knocked on the Tully's door.

"Yes?"

"Ser Blackfish, I have a message for you!"

He bowed while giving Brynden a folded piece of paper. The Blackfish read it and he felt his hands trembling.

"Good. Petyr, be a good lad and wake up the others. It's time we go fishing! Qarl, tell the boys to prepare the fishing boat."

"Of course, my lord."

Brynden took out his fishing equipment from a suitcase. The last time he and the children went sailing on the Red Fork, he made each of them smaller fishing rods. After they were ready, Brynden, Edmure, Catelyn, Lysa and Petyr left Riverrun and slowly sailed away.

"The trick to fishing is patience. If you are patient, you will surely catch a big one. Now, children, this time of the year, river salmons are travelling down the Trident. The best bait for river salmons are fish roe but as we don't have those on board, we will use this ugly little worm."

Lysa started to panic seeing the worm in Blackfish's hand while Catelyn laughed. Edmure tried to steal another from his uncle's box to further annoy his sister Lysa with it.

"Don't be afraid. If we don't use our little friend, we won't eat anything tonight."

Lysa gasped:

"What?"

"We are fishermen today. And fishermen eat fish caught by them. We have no food on board. Well, except for the fish we will procure from the beautiful Red Fork."

"I will die of hunger, Uncle! Petyr, tell him!"

"Actually, Lysa, a human can resist even a fortnight without food. So, you will be fine!"

Catelyn giggled while Lysa continued to rave about the lack of food on the ship. After they threw their lines in the water, Petyr approached the Blackfish:

"Do you feel unwell, Uncle?"

"I feel fine. It's just… I haven't been fishing in quite a while so I am afraid I will make a fool of myself in front of you."

"I believe Edmure would like that. It would make him laugh."

"Ah, I think… I got something!"

Brynden thought he would capture a large salmon or something just as big but instead, he caught a giant, smelly and repulsive boot. Immediately, all of his companions on the boat started to laugh, pointing the boot and Brynden with their fingers.

"Don't laugh! It happens to the best of us. You will see: the next time I will catch something big!"

"A bigger boot, maybe?"

Petyr's remark made everybody laugh even louder. Blackfish threw the boot back into the water and continued to wait for something else to bite. Catelyn approached him:

"Uncle, I wanted to ask you something."

"Yes, dear?"

"When will Mama give us our new brother?"

"Ah, well… Soon, I think. I am not a maester to know but I believe it would be very soon!"

"She is in pain, Uncle. Like when Edmure was born."

"All women go through that when they are with child. You too, when your time will come to marry."

"It hurts that bad?"

"Hurts what, sweetie?"

"To give birth."

"Ugh… well… I can't really say because I never gave birth and I never felt the sensation but I heard that it's quite painful."

"Yuck! Why would any woman give birth, Uncle?"

"Because… Well… See, some people, some men specifically, want to have children. Sons and daughters. So, their wives give birth to their husband's children as an act of love. And it's quite a beautiful thing to have a son or a daughter with the man you love. For example, your mother will give birth to your new brother or sister because she loves your father a lot and that child is the… symbol of this love, just like you and Lysa and Edmure are."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"And how will Mama give birth?"

"Umm… I don't really… Look, ask your septa when you will be older and she will tell you. I'm not really sure how it's done, you know. I am a man, men don't know about this."

Petyr smiled:

"Well actually, the baby will exit Lady Minisa through her…"

"Petyr!"

"Tell me, Petyr!"

Lysa approached them:

"See, Uncle, Petyr is so smart! Now, tell us, Petyr!"

The boy looked at the girls and then at the Blackfish's furious eyes. He decided to play it safe:

"Through her mouth!"

"Ugh! She would puke the baby out? We were puked out?"

"Ugh… Yes!"

"That's horrible!"

Indeed, that was horrible though not as horrible as it would have been if Petyr would tell the girls how it was done. Brynden wondered what kind of books Petyr have in his room, on top of the ones already provided to him.

It was almost midnight. The children caught quite a bit of salmon while Brynden caught again another boot, to his despair and the other's amusement. The boat slowly returned to Riverrun. The moon shone above the river and the air became colder. All four younglings were tired and Brynden was impatient. He needed to know what happened with Minisa. After the boat docked, Brynden exited first and summoned a septa:

"Tell me, what happened? Did Lady Minisa give birth?"

"Not yet. She is in labor… The midwife is with her, and the maester too."

"I'll go there at once. Help the children undress and put them to bed."

"Yes, my lord."

Brynden went straight for lady Minisa's room, but he decided not to enter, as it would arouse suspicions. He then went to the solar where his brother awaited the news from the maester.

"Brother!"

"How was your fishing trip?"

"Funny for them, unpleasant for me. I caught two boots, can you imagine? Two!"

"You've always had bad luck when it came to fishing."

"Yes… brother, let's go inside!"

"Inside where?"

"Lady Minisa's room."

"Are you mad? For what? Are you a maester or a midwife?"

"No."

"Neither am I! If you want to stay here with me, be my guest, but no way we're going there!"

The silence was almost hurting the Blackfish. The tension was palpable. Hoster looked him right in the eye with a stern face. Suddenly, his brother's mouth opened:

"Blackfish…"

"Yes?"

"Do you think she'll make it?"

"Well, she is quite strong, actually. It's her sixth birth and she looks very spry. I went with the children to her chambers before we left the castle and she looked very well!"

"I am glad you showed her the children. They would give her strength."

"I hope so."

Hoster Tully arose from his large blue and red chair and went to the table to pour himself a glass of wine. He then poured another one for the Blackfish.

"Drink!"

"Thank you!"

After a few moments, Hoster called one of his guards:

"Modd! Modd!"

"Yes, milord!"

"Go and find out what happens with my wife. I heard nothing from the maester nor the midwife. And wake up the cooks. I want them to bring us something to eat!"

"Nobody is asleep in the castle, except for the children, milord. Everybody is praying to the Seven for Lady Tully and the baby!"

"Good… good! Now go!"

"Of course. Excuse me, milords."

"Your son caught today a huge salmon, just like the one you've caught when father took us to Maidenpool."

"I almost drowned to catch that fucking fish."

"But you didn't! And everybody appreciated your fighting spirit!"

"Hmm…"

"I miss those times."

"I miss them too. Back then, you were obedient and you understood what needed to be done."

"Again with this shit? If you don't want me here, tell me and I'll go to my chamber. But don't start again with that, not now!"

"How dare you? I am your lord!"

"Unfortunately!"

"What…?"

"Being a lord transformed you, brother. You were kind and generous and you had a good heart. I honestly believe that you still have a good heart. But that lordship turned you into a prick!"

"A prick? How dare you insult me like this in my own castle?"

"It's my castle too. I am a trueborn Tully, just like you and I've suffered alongside you all the years we were children. Or did you forget how father used to beat us? _You have to be men! You have to obtain power for our House! I won't tolerate my sons to be weak! You have cocks, not cunts!_ "

"Enough! Stay here if you bloody want, but never mention that man again!"

"Yes, I bloody want. I want to finally end this shit between us, forever!"

"Then you will marry! Even though you are getting older by the day and look like hell now, I could find you a lady with significant stature in Westeros. Maybe one soiled by another! A marriage with you would cleanse her shame in the eyes of gods and men!"

Brynden couldn't believe it. Even now, with Hoster's wife in her bed of blood, he could only think of marrying him. That stubborn old goat couldn't understand the fact that he would not marry?

"I would hit you right now, if your wife wasn't giving birth!"

After a few tensed minutes, the cook arrived with food for the Tully brothers. The Blackfish was prepared to eat when the maester entered the solar:

"My lords…"

Both Hoster and Brynden rose from their chairs and approached Maester Kym:

"What happened?"

"Lady Minisa… She… She gave birth to a baby boy. Congratulations, Lord Hoster!"

Hoster almost cried of joy. His baby boy! Another son to carry the Tully name to glory in the battles to come! Brynden was elated. A new nephew! And his name would be Brynden.

"What are you waiting for, Kym? Take me to see my son and wife!"

"Ah… about that…"

The Blackfish's heart was pounding by the minute. His guts told him that something bad happened.

"Lady Minisa…"

"Speak already, don't dawdle!"

"Lady Minisa died… She delivered the son, but she was too weak. Her illness… I'm sorry, my lords. I did what I could, both myself and the midwife…"

That moment, everything that made Riverrun a happy place simple vanished out the window. Hoster Tully started to cry and shout and break everything from the solar with a chair while The Blackfish just stood there, his heart frozen. He couldn't move until Hoster approached Kym and punched him in the gut:

"Useless fuck! You killed my wife! I'll have your head for this!"

"Hoster, calm down! The man has no guilt! Think about what you are saying or doing!"

He proceeded to help Maester Kym get up from the floor.

"I'm so… sorry!"

Hoster's eyes were red from anger and pain. Brynden Tully told the maester to leave the solar and take care of the child.

"Hoster, listen to me… You have no idea how sorry I am… Minisa… she was… she was beautiful and kind and generous! The world weeps for her loss and the stars shine dimmer this night, but understand, it's nobody's fault! Right now, you have to think about your son!"

"My son… My fucking son? That… tumor killed my wife!"

Brynden slapped his brother. Hoster tumbled over the table and fell down, more in shock than in pain:

"How… dare…"

Brynden approached him and hit him again, this time with his punch. Hoster was bleeding from his nose:

"You fucking prick! You may call me whatever you want: Blackfish, malcontent shit, disobedient fuck, but never, absolutely never insult one of your children in my presence because I swear to you, by the Old Gods and the New, I will forsake the blood ties that bind us and even though I will be thrice damned as a kinslayer, I will fucking kill you! That child is not a tumor! You are a fucking tumor! You are the worst shit that was ever crapped into this world from the Seven's assholes!"

Hoster couldn't believe it. He knew his brother had a temper but usually he reserved his violence for the battlefield.

"You hit me, you fucking monster. My wife is dead and you hit me!"

"Yes, and I will hit you again and again until you end with your ravings and realize that even though she died, your son still lives! Your own flesh and blood!"

Hoster arose from the floor and left the room. Brynden went after him, fearing for what his brother may do. He entered Minisa's room only to see her covered with a white cloth, with blood all over the bed. From a crib nearby, a tiny baby was crying softly, breathing hard. He had only a bit of hair, auburn in color as he was a Tully. The Blackfish went straight for the crib and covered the baby with his red and blue cloak, with a black trout model on it. Hoster Tully was crying near his wife's bed, kissing her, his blood caused by Brynden's hits flowing freely on the sheets, mixing with hers. Suddenly, The Blackfish looked towards the crib. The baby wasn't breathing anymore.

"No, no… No! Kym! Come here!"

Nobody answered. The midwife was sitting in a corner of the room, too shocked to even move. Brynden then tried to breathe air into the child, his cracked lips touching his. That moment, the room was quiet. Even Hoster Tully stopped crying. He could only mutter a few words:

"Blackfish… save him… please!"

The Blackfish then tried to perform a crude form of cardiopulmonary resuscitation but because of the small frame of the baby boy, he couldn't press too much, fearing it would crack his small ribs. After a few minutes that seemed like hours, Brynden Tully stopped, falling on the floor near the crib.

"Gods… How can you be so cruel?"

Hoster Tully approached his brother and fell on the floor near him.

"I couldn't save him, brother! I couldn't! I tried…!"

Hoster then put his hand around his younger brother and hugged him, starting to cry. They stood like that for almost an hour. The maester came with the Silent Sisters to take Lady Minisa and the baby boy to be prepared, as the Faith commanded.

"Don't take the boy…"

"Lord Blackfish…"

"I said don't take the boy!"

"As you wish, my lord!"

The Blackfish took the boy himself, still covered by his cloak. He looked towards Hoster who could only nod in agreement. Brynden took the dead child to his room, and laid him on his bed. He then took a pair of scissors and cut down pieces from his cloak.

"I am not going to let those Silent Sisters defile your little body, child. You are not going to be given to gods as cruel as those fucking Seven… Ah… pardon my language, little Brynden… The years I spent as a warrior in trenches took their toll on my good manners…"

He couldn't contain his tears anymore, while continuing to cut his cloak until he took out a small piece of cloth out of it. He then wrapped the boy with that cloth and left Riverrun with the dead child in his hands. He walked for almost a mile until he found a small clearing near the Red Fork's bank. Brynden then started to dig a small grave:

"She died, little Brynden. Your mother died… you died… I want to go with you, more than anything right now… But you have siblings, you know? Little Cat and Lysa and your brother, Edmure. He can't wait to meet his brother! How in the world I am going to say to them now that their mother died and their brother died with her? I can't go with you… They need me."

He stopped digging when the grave was deep enough. Before he could lay the boy inside, Brynden fell on his knees near the river, looking towards the east, where the sun was starting to rise, and cried out with all his strength:

"I am not going to pretend I am a good man. Not by a long shot. I am not a godly man, either. I am not a kind man, though people may say otherwise. But this, I can say with pride! I am a Tully! I am Brynden the fucking Blackfish! I am the worst of the worst, the black sheep of the Tully herd, the black trout of the Tully school. And this I swear to you, fucking gods, who took everything that was dear to me in my life, never again you would see me bow before you! As for you, my beloved Minisa…"

His pain took over him again but he fought it to keep it at bay:

"… as for you, I swear to you that I will take care of the children, helping them while they grow up and even though I will never make up for the mother they lost, I will be there for them until this body of mine expires into oblivion! Catelyn, Lysa, Edmure… even Hoster… These are my gods now! I will serve them until the day I die, and even after that! If death wants to come and reap away my soul, then I swear to you that I will give her a hell of a fight!"

Brynden then arose and picked up the baby. He kissed him on his forehead, which was beginning to become cold and put him in the ground, covered with the piece from the Blackfish's cloak. He then wept every second until he covered little Brynden with earth. After this, he took a large chunk of rock and carved letters on it with his dagger:

 _BRYNDEN TULLY, SON OF HOSTER_

He then covered the rock with the remaining pieces of red and blue cloth and put it as a headstone. After this, he returned at Riverrun.

"Tommard! Tommard!"

"Yes, Ser Blackfish!"

"Send two of your men to that clearing a mile away. From this day forward, I want that place guarded day and night!"

"Yes, milord. I'm sorry for your loss… Lady Tully was like a mother, to all of us!"

"Thank you! Now go!"

"Of course!"

The children still were sleeping. At least that gave him time to prepare a good story to tell them. He would tell them that the Seven decided they needed more angels at their side and picked up Lady Tully and little Brynden, lifting them to the sky in a seven-colored light. It was a shit of a lie, but they would see for themselves when they would grow up how cruel the gods truly are. As for the Blackfish, he already said goodbye to Lady Minisa. He decided he won't be near the river when that arrow will burn her body.

 _Goodbye, my love… I don't know if I'll see you again but if I do, I swear things would be different!_


End file.
